Difficult Faith

God had done amazing things for his people. God freed the people from slavery in a way that only God could and he gave them the wealth of their captors as he did it. God opened the Red Sea as an escape from the Egyptian army and then decimated the enemy. God gave them water when they were thirsty, food when they were hungry, and, in intimacy, he spoke to them through Moses. During the day God went ahead of them in a pillar of smoke and at night in a pillar of fire. As God‘s treasure he had freed them from slavery and was taking them home to the Promised Land - their destiny.

Genesis 15:18 (ESV)

18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

Genesis 50:24 (NIV)

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Exodus 3:8 (NIV) God to Moses

8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

Exodus 23:29-33 (NIV)

29 But I will not drive [those that occupy your land] out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. 31 “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River. I will hand over to you the people who live in the land and you will drive them out before you. 32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33 Do not let them live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

This morning we are going to look at a VERY important story that takes place at a VERY important time - right when Israel is at the door of the Promised Land. This is a heart-wrenching account that is also a warning to us

So here they are and their journey is almost done. God has been with them and they are almost home. After more than two years without a home they are about get out of the desert - what a glorious thing. It‘s important to know that the journey was not without its struggles and often, perhaps most of the time, the people were NOT aligned with God‘s vision. They often wanted the gifts of God rather than God. They often longed for the promises of God but saw little need be the people of God. Often in the face of God’s miraculous provision and presence Israel would mumble mumbling and grumbling. In fact, today’s passage comes on the heals of bold complaining. While they should be lined up at the border to the Promised Land, ready to go, they were complaining boldly about was the food God had given them - they wanted the food they had as slaves in Egypt. They were complaining about the role of Moses as God’s mouthpiece - “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” (Miriam and Aaron).

So now we pick up the story. God told Moses to send some men to “explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites”. So Moses sent one man from each tribe.

Numbers 13:25-14:11 (NIV)

25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. 26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” 1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” 10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?”

If you know the story you will also know that God did not allow this group into the land - they would not follow. They WOULD NOT align with God’s vision. The refused to see God and his glory and his provision and his plan as better than the alternative. They would not trust God and, accept for Joshua & Caleb, they died in the wilderness.

Three simple observations

1) God is not looking for people to follow him in false expectation. Spying out the land was God’s idea. God is creating a people who know the road ahead is difficult - but will trust God to bring about the good. God is creating a people who will move toward his promises - which can only be obtained through faith.

Luke 14:28 (ESV)

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

2) Vss 13:30; 14:7 - People of faith think and act differently. Joshua and Caleb saw the same things the other ten did but they saw them differently - they saw the good that God had promised. They saw the promise of victory because God is faithful to his promises. Joshua was not presumptuous in his faith (if the Lord…) but was committed to follow. Others became frantic and saw the obstacles as insurmountable.

Daniel 3:16-18 (ESV)

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

3) Verse 11 - Not following God is sin.

Deuteronomy 1:31-32 (NIV)

31 and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” 32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God…

How do you understand God‘s call to live by faith? How do you understand God‘s call to live his mission here? How do you understand God‘s call to “seek first the Kingdom of God”?

God’s plan is that the people he calls develop a love for him and a faith in him that pushes out every competing loyalty - really! God is better than my house. God is better than my retirement plan. God is better than pornography. God is better than promotion. God is better than…

Psalm 56:3 (NIV)

3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We shall bring our Lord most glory if we get from Him much grace. If I have much faith, so that I can take God at His Word… I shall greatly honor my Lord and King. (Charles Spurgeon)